Spirit Animal - Raccoon

A great picture of a Raccoon's mask - from Wikipedia

When ever I hear people complain about raccoons turning over their garbage and creating a mess, I wonder why the complainer sees the negative of the situation. From Raccoon's perspective, she is doing a favour. She would not pull the garbage apart if the occupant was recycling and not throwing edible items into the garbage. Raccoon, like some other animals, is a scavenger. She knows that finding the next meal may be difficult. So, she is grateful for the wasteful humans for providing food. Why not take advantage of the buffet? And, look at all the waste she prevents from reaching the landfill.

What makes Raccoon so distinctive looking is her black mask, wide grin, and fashionably ringed tail. As a masked being, some people fear her because they do not understand her. (As I sit here typing, Raccoon says, "Humans fear everything in a mask, perhaps even a clown!") Part of the fear stems from the legends around Raccoon - she is a shape-shifter, she foretells death, she represents magic and mystery, she works with sorcerers. In the water, Raccoon is a powerful swimmer. She also likes to dig up small things from the mud like crayfish or fresh water shrimp.

From garbage to eating gourmet crayfish, Raccoon is made of contradictions. Her black and grey colour show her being of the night and yet she is seen busily digging along river beds in the brightest sunlight. Her colour helps disguise her in the night, her prime time of being. The Ancestors believed that she was a spirit creature which is why she wore a mask. They believed that she was a small Goddess because she had small "hands", and that she was mischievous. Anyone with locked doors or gates or garbage who has been "burglarized" by Raccoon will tell you how much dexterity she has and that she must be very intelligent to figure out locks that keep out adults!

If Raccoon is showing up around you, pay attention to what it is she focuses on, because this is her message to you. If she focuses on food, her message is about your diet. Perhaps you need to give up "garbage or junk food". If she is sitting high up in a tree, than she is telling you to be on the look out for some coming change to your life, or even a possible danger. If you see Raccoon around the water, and perhaps up to her belly in the wet, than you may be sure that it is a message for you to begin looking at all the emotions that you have stuffed over the years. When Raccoon stares intently at you, and you see her mask, she is telling you that she can see your mask, and that it is time to pull it off. Show the world who you are with out the constraint of "what people think". Be free!

I wish you happy days wandering around with out your mask!

Judy@angelsandancestors.com